News & Observer | newsobserver.com | Acts of Faith: 2006

February 10, 2006 Staff photo by Ted Richardson
‘You hang in there, old boy,’ said Jane Matson, center, encouraging Perry White, left, after delivering lunch to White’s Chapel Hill apartment Wednesday, a day after White found out he has throat cancer. Matson and fellow Meals on Wheels volunteer Jane Humm have delivered to White for several years; his place is the first stop on their route to seven Orange County homes. According to Matson, it’s not just about knowing the kind of food people like. ‘You get sensitive to their needs, and you end up talking quite a bit. You get attached,’ she said. ‘But we can’t stay too long because we have hot meals out in the car.’ Matson drove her Honda and Humm walked the trays of hot food up to people’s doors. ‘Maybe Jane and I are the ones who should be getting these Meals on Wheels,’ said Matson. As for right now, the two seem perfectly content, and able, to give rather than receive.
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About This Project


Ethan Hyman
"Acts of Faith" explores the different belief systems that co-exist in the Triangle area. Ten years of heavy migration has brought many new faiths to the region, turning the Bible Belt home of Billy Graham into a spiritual coat of many colors. Mosques, Buddhist and Hindu temples, Sikh Gurudwaras, synagogues and scores of Christian churches have become spiritual and social centers for a radically changing population. The demographic shift has pushed congregations to find innovative ways to keep their members while attracting new arrivals. "Acts of Faith" was born as a way to show this new religious diversity and analyze the role spirituality plays in people's daily lives.


Pailin Wedel
When covering an event for Acts of Faith, we look for situations that evoke strong emotion and try to bring readers into the moment. Though holidays and major celebrations are important, we also look for unexpected expressions of faith and quieter moments of solitary exploration. We hope to give readers insight into the breadth and depth of faith by showing how people incorporate it into their everyday lives.


Ted Richardson
For two years, Sher Stoneman and Susana Vera produced this column. In 2004, they handed it over to Ethan Hyman, Scott Lewis and Lisa Lauck. In 2005, Ted Richardson replaced Scott Lewis on this project. In 2006, Pailin Wedel replaced Lisa Lauck.

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